Epidural and Other Pain Medications for Labor

Hi T.,
Good for you for thinking outside the box and wondering what these drugs are doing to your new baby. Sure, there are people who swear by them. I had an emergency c-section with my first and medical intervention was 100% necessary to save my baby's life. Having a baby does not need to be a medical procedure unless absolutely necessary.

I agree with the mom who suggested that you have a supportive team. My husband and I did a Bradley Birth 17 months ago and it was really an amazing experience.

Your body was made to birth a child. When a woman is administered pitocin during labor, it stops your body's natural production of oxytocin which is your natural pain management.

Prepare for your birth by being able to relax and find your "special place." Don't rush things and let your body take over. I am not anti-epidural. Its just not what we chose to do. Its a totally personal choice. If you believe that you can do this, that's 1/2 the battle. Keep believing it is the second 1/2! ;-)

Best of luck with your decision.
B.

I had an epidural with both of my children and the births were a piece of cake. The contractions are beyond bearable. Believe me. If you decide against an epidural I bet half way through labor,once it is too late, you will wish you had one. You can't even feel contractions with the epidural. Even if you don't have an epidural complications could arise some other way. Believe me contractions are horrible. Go epidural.

Epidural for me was a godsend. Doesn't every prodedure have risk of complications?? Even to drain a tiny abcess, there is risk of complication. That is how they protect themselves. The rate is VERY low, and as long as an experienced anesthesiologist does it at a reputable place, then you'll be fine! This is the year 2008, not 1900!

When I got the epidural, I had no pain whatsoever! She popped out within 20 minutes of pushing. It was amazing... that I would get it again with my next child.

You can go the natural childbirth way, but from what I've heard from my friends who chose that path, they regretted it. They ALL told me that by the time they realized they wanted the epidural after all, it was TOO late. The pain was so bad and made labor difficult.

Even walking out of your house you are taking risks. Even driving you are taking risks. Being pregnant has thousands of risks, from blood clots to strokes. There is no "hero" reward for going thru labor without any meds; but lots of PAIN. It's your choice.
Anyways, just my two cents.

Try to keep your mind open to an epidural if you choose to go natural. I know many women who were so disappointed in themselves when they "gave in" and got the epidural. That's sad. Labor is incredibly hard. Do we have to beat ourselves up that we don't do it good enough?? Personally, I chose to have the epidural right off the bat two times. My first time I didn't end up getting it until 6 minutes before my delivery and so the pain I endured prior to it was incredible because I wasn't prepared, didn't know how to breathe and had never planed for a second to do it naturally. My whole experience the first time was a big disappointment and took a while for me to get over. I actually had a tiny post traumatic stress disorder thing afterward. The second time, I read and read about delivering naturally so I would know what to do. I was fortunately able to get my epidural right away but even with it I had a good deal of pain pushing anyway. An epidural is not going to make you completely numb. You will feel it. I was really happy that I prepared for a natural birth and had an epidural. Sorry this is long winded but what I'm saying is to try to keep an open mind because much of this is unpredictable and you don't want disappointment to enter anywhere into this miracle of yours!

Your going to get a lot of responses from people saying you MUST go natural and it's the ONLY way and how much SAFER it is for your child. I am not one of those people. Don't let the scary statistics thrown at you from these people freak you out. Just do what your doing, research it, speak with your doctors about the risks, inform yourself and do what you think is right for you and your baby. Don't just listen to people who think they know what they're talking about, me included!

But I will add my two cents. People have been using epidurals for a very long time and as with everything else in life there are risks to consider. Frankly, simply being pregnant and having a baby is chock full of a ton of different risks and at some point you need to trust that your doctors and your body know what to do and let some of that go.

I have 2 children. A three year old girl and a 9 month old boy and I opted for an epidural with both cases. Everyone's tolerance for pain is very different and everyone who has a baby probably experiences the pain of childbirth is multiple different ways so what worked for Suzie may not for you.

I have a friend who has 3 kids and each labor was 4-5 hours and no big deal. She didn't even really need the epidural because it was all so quick. Me, however, had a 27 hour labor & delivery with my daughter and went through 15 hours of labor with my son before they performed an emergency c-section. I did get the epidural with both. With my daughter it wore off and could not be re-administered so for a large part of labor and delivery I was without any kind of pain block. I was not offered any other drugs and I doubt I would have taken anything other then an epidural anyway. For me, it was very very very very painful. Did I say very? I consider myself to have a high tolerance to pain. I broke my leg and had to get screws put in but was in the middle of a party so waited until that night to go to the doctor. They didn't know how i didn't pass out from the pain. So I'm not a wuss by any means but the pain of childbirth was simply more then I could handle. I do not feel bad about it. Had I not had the epidural for at least part of that delivery I don't think I would have been any help to the doctors, nurses or my child. And ultimately you need to be able to keep somewhat calm and in control of what's going on because you have to push that baby out.

I'm not telling you to go one way or the other but if you do decide to have an epidural don't agonize over it or let people make you feel bad about it. You don't get a gold star at the end of childbirth because you suffered through it without any pain relief.

Good luck. I distincly remember how anxious you feel when your close to giving birth whether it's the first or 5th time but just stay positive and trust that everything will work out and it'll be the best day of your life.

Hi T.,

I just recently delivered my 2nd baby with an epidural, and I wouldn't do it any other way. It made me very comfortable, and I had no complications. Best wishes!

After enduring 6 hours of horrible back labor with my first, I got the epidural. Labor and delivery were fine with no complications. With the second and third, I got epidurals almost as soon as I was in the hospital. The labors were quick and painless. :D

The bottom line here is you need to do what is best and most comfortable for you. Another poster said that having labor support really makes a difference - it does!

I had Pitocin and epidurals with both my kids. I would never go without an epidural, for me I mean! Never had problems with the meds or epidural either. I had very easy labors and deliveries, I loved being in labor, the epidural made it very enjoyable and fun! Best of luck!!

T.-
I have had three babies, two boys w/huge heads, and one petite little girl. I went without an epidural or pitossin with all of them. The hardest was the first, mostly because it was the longest labor (36hrs) and I just didn't know what to expect. The other two were a piece of cake. And afterwards you feel like a warrior....able to take on anything, what a rush!
My biggest fear about an epidural was that it would slow my labor and then I would end up having a c-section. Which, in my opinion are completely over-used. So you have to get your priorities first...what is important to you? I know that my recovery was so quick, I got to shower about an hour after the births, then I was left alone to bond with my babies.
I will say that something that I believed help the second two births go quicker was that I walked and walked the days prior to and on my due date(which I went passed), and there on. And I mean walk like you mean it, almost to an exercise point if you can. Good luck, visualize a safe, healthy, quick birth!!!

Hi! My name is D. and I have two children ages 4 and 1 1/2months. I had an epidural with my first and it was a wonderful experience. I got to watch the whole thing and enjoy it pain free and there were no side effects to my daughter at all. With my second we had moved and the hospital I had to got to did not do epidurals. I however had a spinal and not that my sons birth wasn't remarkable but I didn't feel like I could enjoy it as much due to the pain. The spinal did not take on me however we have a feeling it did on him. For the first two to two and a half weeks he was a very sleepy baby. More so then just the newborn baby sleepy. I would do the epidural again if I was having any more because I just felt like I was more aware of everything during the birth. I also didn't feel like I took as long to recuperate either. Either way you choose having a child is the most remarkable thing and you guys will be so delighted! Congratulations!

I am not an expert on pharmaceuticals, but I am a tremendous wuss when it comes to pain so I was willing to take anything they would give me when I was in labor. I was induced and was hooked up to the epidural before they even began the induction. It was a wonderful thing. :-)

Aside from that, I had a conversation with an L&D nurse when I was six months along and she expressed no concern whatsoever with epidurals. I also have a brother who is a pharmacist, and so is his wife. They used epidurals for both of my sister-in-law's labors (one of which lasted 24 hours) and I never heard either of them express any concern over it.

I would advise enrolling in a childbirth class that can teach you how to work through a natural childbirth. My husband's aunt had a lot of success with this. That way, even if you need the epidural, maybe you can at least get through a good portion of the labor without it.

Good luck!

I have done it both ways and so have my daughters. You are NOT a better mom b/c you can endure more pain. It won't hurt your child. Don't be a marter. Sometimes a labor can go faster when you are not fighting against the pain. Good Luck!

Hi there,
I work in healthcare, and have worked in labor and delivery as an RN for 8 years, (10 years ago). I myself had an epidural with my second child, and not with the first.
There are risks in anything we choose, but I want you to feel comfortable about choosing an epidural. Many women were in great pain while contracting, and needing to sit real still while the epidural was placed, and all did. A few women may have some back pain for a few months or a few years, but most do not have any residual effects. You will likely be much moe comfortable, although not all pain is always taken away (but most of the time it can be) :)
You should still feel some pressure to push when needed, and the effects will lilely wear off during your recovery 1-3 hours after you deliver. It is healthy to respects potential concerns, and if your health is otherwise normal, you should do very well. Enjoy your birth. It is amazing!!!!

I just had my first baby in October. I too felt pretty strong against any kind of medicine. I wasn't sure how it would effect me. I actually labored at home up until I couldn't stand it anymore and my contractions were 2 minutes apart. By the time we went in it was too late to have any medicine. I knew that if I had gone in earlier I would have been tempted. I am soo glad I never had an epidural. Everybody tells you different but to me labor wasn't as bad as I thought. Depending on your pain tolerance it could be the same for you. By that point you will be so ready to have that baby you probably won't worry about if you should or if you shouldn't. Wait and see how you feel. I never like taking any kind of medicine, but you have to know what is right for you. Also if you do it natural you will feel like you just conquered the world! It is very empowering! Good luck!

I went into labour very sure i wasn't going to get an epidural but when I got there the pain medication was just not cutting it so I choose for the epidural with both of my children and it works like magic. I immediately felt calm and comforted and was able to sleep and get rest for when the time came for baby to come. People make a big deal out of epidurals but its very safe to me I did it twice and nothing is wrong with me or my children. My only advice would be to go in with a clear mind to choose whatever makes you more comfortable and if you choose the epidural the hardest part would be keeping still to get it started other than that I don't see what the big deal is if you choose to use it. Good luck.

T., congrats on your pregnancy! I've had vaginal delivery and a c-section, both with epidurals. I'm glad you went thru child birth classes also, they help relieve some of the unknown while pregnant. Education is the key. Know that you as a woman could "handle" natural (no medications) child birth. The process is called labor because it is "kick your butt work". Think of it this way, epidurals are common and yes, mistakes can happen. However, usually the risk is small, unless you have a high risk pregnancy. Also, if you have an epidural it doesn't take all the feeling away (yes of your legs), but you still have to work do deliver your baby. If you have the epidural you can channel your concentration on the pushing and breathing. Please talk with your ob/gyn dr about your fears, part of their job is to help you, calm you and answer questions to make this a joyous and fantastic part of your life, not scarey and apprehensive. Best of luck, no matter what YOU decide it is the RIGHT ANSWER FOR YOU! Jenn RN

Of course it all depends on your pain tolerance. I have 6 children and I have never had any pain meds at all with any of them. A few things that helped me was being able to walk around, sitting on a birthing ball, a rocking chair and having someone there to encourage you. I remember when I had my first child, I was basically almost to the end and I said I'm not sure if I can do this anymore. My husband and mother were both there and they kept saying your almost there you can do it. Alot of times it's mind over matter. I was determined to not have any pain meds. I wanted the whole experience of having a child, not saying that you miss out, that was just what I wanted. I thought if my grandma can have a 14 lbs breached baby without anything I can do this and I would never change it. The pain is so quickly gone once you hold that wonderful, beautiful, bundle of joy in your arms!!! Everything else just fades away!!

Just my opinion LOL

Hi T.!
Congradulations, first of all on your soon to be motherhood! You will absolutely love it!
Secondly, I wanted to give you a little insight on your question. I am a mother of an 18 mo. old beautiful little girl. Before I delivered her, I decided that I was absolutely not going to have an epidural. Then, I went into labor. The benefit that I had during labor was that my family owned a restaurant, which I helped run, so I was on my feet all day, which helped not only to progress the labor but take my mind off of the pain. Later that evening at around 9 pm, it was time to go to the hospital. The labor pains were unlike anything that I've experienced before in my life but completely bearable. In my hospital room was a whirlpool tub which help tremendously. At the last minute towards the end of labor, the contractions were totally intense and I thought that I was going to have to change my mind and have an epidural. However, I was told that it was too late to have one. Which, in retrospec I was so glad that it was too late. So, I guess to sum up my little labor story. I didn't take any pain meds and I am proud of myself for not doing so. I don't look down at all upon people who do take them. But I do strongly believe that going thru labor without any pain medications is a huge self esteem booster for women and it is so much better for the baby. Also, contractions are indeed intense and undoubtedly painful, but not unbearable by any means.
I know you'll do great, whatever you decide, and your baby will be beautiful and healthy. Just go with what you feel is best. Good luck and congrads! Hope this helped a little bit! :-)

I was strongly urged to induce when I was a week overdue with my first baby back in January. They found an irregular heartbeat when I went in for my non-stress test. After much thought, I realized that I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I waited it out only to find that I had made the wrong decision. So, I went ahead with the induction. I was put on a pitocin drip, and I had intended to do it all without an epidural. My husband and I had read two books: "Husband-Coached Childbirth" by Dr. Bradley and "Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way (I forget who the author is for that one)."

Even though it was extremely intense because of the pitocin, my husband walked me through each contraction like a champ. Together, we made it through 22 hours of labor on pitocin without an epidural.

I feared that using an epidural may further complicate the problems that may have already been happening with my baby. As it was, I was on my last push before they were going to use a vacuum extractor and pull my baby out. An epidural would have delayed my progress, no doubt, and I'd have ended up in a C-section.

I could understand why women end up with an epidural, though. I will say, however, that I'd do it all over again if I knew things would turn out the same.

I had an epidural and it worked for a little while before it stopped. The pain wasn't horrible but it didn't feel good either. It got better while I was pushing and then completely went away after my son was born.

All I can say is that I'm not going to waste my money on an epidural for my next child.

Good for you for raising some questions.

Despite what some others are saying-- there IS a risk to unecessary medication in childbirth.

You are not the only one receiving the medication. Locals are not local and cross the placenta within minutes. If you get a chance to see some of the package inserts on the drugs they use in epidurals as well as stadol, etc. They all discuss the risks to mama and baby. They all discuss the neonatal toxicity. They all discuss respiratory depression.

Medication raises your risks for other interventions. There is an idea of a cascade of interventions. One thing leads to another leads to another.

Something else to consider. These drugs actually inhibit your own body from producing hormones and endorphins which create your own natural pain relief.

They also make it harder to work with your own body to do what it was MADE to do. They also don't always work. There's also a risk that you will have a bad reaction or your baby will or that you will have after effects.

I know people who had 5 epidurals-- but they didn't work. People who said the stadol "just made me to groggy to complain". I loved my epidural-- but yeah- I had to have an episiotomy and I had a headache/backache for like a week.

You don't need these things to achieve a level of comfort in labor. I know it's a bit late to take a Bradley Class but I'd recommend checking into hypnobirthing or check with Bloom Yoga or Sweet Pea yoga. They tend to have shorter comfort measures classes which will teach you natural ways to deal with labor.

Hire a doula! That would be a huge help.

Whatever you decide-- I'd recommend the above... since you go into labor at home and you will want to have some tricks on how to relax and what your partner can do to help you!

Best of luck to you. It's normal to be nervous. Just remember how many women have done this before you. It is an AMAZING thing to birth your child. The most empowering thing I've ever done. Your labor cannot be more than you can handle because it IS you.

I am WAY to big a chicken to take the risks that all those needles and medications posed. Natural is safest.

Hi there...okay with my first I used stadol, and it took the edge off mostly. I was also very groggy after the delivery so i did not hold my baby. But, the baby was fine, and there were no effects on him. On my second delivery, i had pitocin to speed up my contractions, and i was going to use stadol again and did not end up having any time for it cuz i was ready to push since the pitocin really sped up my labor. It was painful, i am not going to lie. But, it was so worth it. i am against the epideral for me, I don't feel it was the right solution on many levels. Again, that is my preference. I know the pros and cons as well, and felt that it is not worth risking. I mean, after all, I chose to have a baby, did i really want to risk any of it???? Sorry if I offend anyone, I am just saying what was best for my situation. Something for you and only you to decide. Best of luck!!

Hi,
My doctor said that the safe pain madicine during the pregnancy is the one that contains acetaminophen, for ex.Tylenol. She said it doesn't affect the pregnancy. You should avoid pain medicine containing ibuprofen(spelled also ibuprophen).
Almost all my girlfriends asked for an epidural.
But it ups to you, if you will be able to handle the pain of a natural birth.. ok. But most of the womans just can't stand it. You will see, and you will feel whether you need this or not.Some of the ladies deliver their babies so fast that there is no even time to think about a pain. We are all different. And you know what, all those information we get during the pregnancy they often seem to be more scary than they really are. Good luck!!

Alot of things need to be considered. Do you have support people for labor? A doc or midwife? Doula? Pain of labor without support and a midwife, I think, is undoable. If the things I mentioned are present, labor can truly be an inspiring amazing experience without medication. BUT you need to make the details happen. In my opinion, docs have no place doing labor except for emergencies, it is a woman's field and job and they (midwives) do it best. That having been said, natural births are way better in the long run and I enjoyed it much more.

God designed our intire bodies to give birth...We can do it! have a great team to support you ,make your desires known to the nursing staff, and remember ladies in the Congo and other areas of the world don't have drugs or formula! let us know how it goes. what really are the long term effects of these medications? are they responsible for many things wrong with our children these days? newborns need to cry to open and clear their lungs...drugged moms produce sleepy babies who don;t cry unless vigourously stimulated..something to think about!

Hi T.,
I'm a mother six times over. Well to begin with I've done it both ways, not by choice. In saying that I will tell you having a baby all natural is the way your body will respond the best. That is saying full term and you go into labor on your own. After having my 2nd child like this, I literally jumped out of bed 1 hour after delivery and could do everything for myself. I felt like a million bucks. God made our bodies to respond this way. A completely natural child birth is one they don't need to give you patocin (sp). Patocin is where it brings your contractions into a regular pattern. Your body produces it on it's own. If you can avoid the hospital giving you extra to help you along, you can breath through the contractions. Labor is just that a labor of love. Every contraction brings you closer to holding your little miracle. Your body is working and if you work to relax, your body works better for you. Picture yourself opening up to let the baby pass. I made a motion with my hands as I had each contraction. It helped me focus...Now the flip side. The epidural takes away all the pain, but the way it affected me after the delivery was, I felt anxious, my hands were numb hours (days) later and there was a hot sensation in my hands as well. I really didn't know why this next thing took place, but I couldn't concentrate on important information. I got overwhelmed easily. If you have a good support system in place, you may not get overwhelmed. I'm speaking of in the hospital. Ok I told you I've had 6 kids, but my back where the epidural went in 5 times, if someone bumps me I feel an electrical jolt...weird I know, but you don't get bumped there very often. Labor with the epidural is calm and if you are willing to take on the challenge of side effects that may or may not happen for you, then the epidural is the way to go. I could have all this problems because of having multiple pregnancies, but this is just what took place for me.
I hope this helps you in making your choice and I pray that your birthing experience is one of the highlights of your life and your baby arrives healthy. God chose me to be a parent of a child with Down syndrome. He was my 5th child, my only boy and it is not the journey I would have chosen for myself, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. What I'm trying to tell you is no matter what happens everything will be OK.
May God watch over you,
J. H.

I never had drugs with either of my kids. I am afraid of needles, not to mention ones that go into my spine. Childbirth is painful, but if you can walk or find other ways to relax, I recommend going natural. Get a good support team that will help you thru it, and if you decide that you are going to do it that way, make it clear to the nurses before you get into intense labor because they will do all they can to talk you into it. As a woman, there is nothing more impowering than natural childbirth.

I've had two children and two very different epidural experiences.

With my first, the epidural was awful. I couldn't move from the waist down, I was so numb I couldn't even push the baby out after 3 hours of trying and wasn't able to walk for hours.

With my second, I had the best epidural in the world. I could still move my legs but not feel a single bit of pain. I was able to push the baby out in 9 pushes and was back up and walking within two hours.

That said, I would definately choose an epidural again. It never had a negative impact on my children, they had perfect apgar scores.

The best way to judge what you'll need during labor is to actually wait until it happens. For some women the pain becomes unbearable, for others, it's mind over matter.

T., Congradulations!
I went through childbirth without an epidural and it was painful. It was not unbearable. My reasoning behind it was the fact that I have problems with my back. I was afraid of it causing so much back pain I would not be able to care for my little girl. I've had steroid Epidurals since then for my back and am glad I decided not to. It is an experience like no other to give natural birth, but the epidural will not deter from the experience of giving birth to your beautiful baby. There are possible complications with anything medical. Don't let that scare you. Go to the hospital you plan to deliver at and talk to the anastesiologist before you make a decision.

Hi T. -
I am not a nurse. I am not a doctor. I have however had two eight pound babies with large heads - vaginally. I had epidurals with both of my children. One of the women that responded to you nailed it on the head - we take risks with everything we do. Epidurals are wonderful! They make labor and delivery much more enjoyable. The main point is that you are very vocal during labor and delivery. Tell the doctors and nurses exactly what you want and when you want it. Tell them if it doesn't feel right or if one side of your body is still feeling contractions. Be very, very vocal. You are the one in labor - not them. Good luck and I wish you and your baby the best.

I just had my fifth a week ago and they induced me because I was late and so I got an epidural. I've done it both ways, where I didn't have time to get anything to being induced and having time for everything. I even had one where the epidural quit working halfway through. I prefer the epidural. If you want to try natural, though, I would recommend a book called Maternal Fitness by Julie Tupler. I found it in the middle of this last pregnancy and she talks about which muscles you actually use to push and how to strengthen them. I pushed I think a total of 12 times (that's three pushes each for four contractions) before the baby was out and I was done. I highly recommend it, the recovery has been easier this time too because my muscles aren't as loose. Good luck!

I am a wuss. It doesn't matter if I am pushing a baby out or if I sprain a joint. I do not tolerate pain very well, so I knew going into my delivery that I wanted to manage pain with meds. In bold typeface on my birth plan was "yes, I want an epidural or other meds to manage pain".

If people want to think that I am less of a woman because I had an epidural, they're entitled to their opinion.

Hopefully you have a good relationship with your physician. I know I did, especially since he has had several years of training, is a FACOG, and has delivered thousands upon thousands of babies. I've delivered zero. I'm clearly not an expert.

That being said, my epidural worked wonderfully until about 4 hours prior to delivery. After that, I felt every contraction, every move...I swear I could have ripped the steel railing off the bed and bent it in half. it didn't matter how many times I pushed the button or asked for them to check it, it just stopped working (had been working wonderfully the previous six hours). Knowing this, if I do decide to have another child, I will again opt for the epidural. Four hours of the awful pain was unbearable. I can't imagine my 20 hour labor being like that, and then having to push at the end! Other women in my position could have probably been up walking around, squatting, bouncing a toddler on their knee, reading War and Peace...I kid, I kid, but get my point? Some women do well with pain and some do not.

My son was born perfectly healthy, my husband got to cut the cord, and I held him right after birth and let him nurse. I had no pain after and my baby was fine too. No headaches, no backaches, nothing!

I think it all boils down to what you want to do. If you want an unmedicated birth - great! If you want the assistance of meds - great! I hope this isn't the case, but people will try to steer you to their way of doing things. You have to make the decision that is best for you. Either way, it will be the right one.

T. I do not recommend the epidural. I know everyone is different and has different experiences. I used it for my first child and regret it. I was unable to push when the doctor asked me to push because I was numb from my waist down. I felt so out of control and not helpful towards my doctor. I also experienced pain for several years 2-3 on rainy days in the exact area where the epidural shot was given to me. I went totally natural with my second birth, and it was awesome, quicker. My bag busted at 3pm and once I was complete(10 cm) which was 2 hours later, I pushed 3 times and out came my son. I can honestly say it did not hurt, I never new giving birth could be so beautiful. Good luck and God Bless!
D. O-F

I had an epidural with both my daughters. I wanted a natural birth but was not able to handle the pain. My daughter heart beat would drop with every contraction so I was given pitocin(SP?) to speed things up. My contractions started 2 minutes apart so when they induced on top of it I pretty much had one LONG contraction! My second daughter was induced from the start and after the first one I was so scared of the pain, I knew I was going to have an epidural. It was a good thing I did she was over 10lbs!!! and they measured her head size 3 times because they could not believe how big her head was! She actually got stuck once during labor and even with the epidural I almost hit the ceiling. With this being said my advice would be to keep an open mind. Every delivery is different and until you are going through it is hard to decide what is best for you and the baby.

First, congrats on your upcoming arrival! I think how you cope and feel about the whole thing depends a LOT on your expectations and preparation. Here's what I suggest:
1. Read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth (by Ina May Gaskin) cover to cover. This is an amazing book and will give you so much confidence in your body. It also goes through the birth process and the pros and cons of tests and interventions. Great book all around. I give it to all my pregnant friends.
2. Consider picking up a copy of "The Birth Partner" by Patty Simkin. This one is a great "manual" for either your husband or whoever will be with you as a support person - really helpful, very even handed, not biased.
3. Consider hiring a doula. A doula's job is to support YOU (the mom) during labor and delivery. Statistically, women with doulas have shorter labors and a significantly lower rate of interventions and c-sections. Interview several before picking one.
4. Go into it all with an open mind and confidence that your body is made to give birth! Stay at home as long as possible. Be flexible. Plan to not have an epidural if you think that's a good plan (I think it is), but don't feel like a "failure" if you change your mind later.
5. Write a birth plan and discuss it with your husband and doc/midwife.

Good luck with your birth!

T.,

This really is such a personal choice, so ultimately, you will need to make the choice when the time comes, with as much education on the subject as possible. I suggest asking the labor/delivery unit what medications are available to you... and not just 'epidural' - ask what drug is put in your epidural since you are clearly concerned about the effect it may have on your baby.

my personal advice... well... I have done it both ways. First baby, I had prodromal (sp?) labor that lasted for 3 days... yes... 72 hours I had contractions that were 5 minutes apart and I wasn't progressing. Unfortunately I went to the hospital 3 times, and due to shift changes, nurses not notifying my doctor since I hadn't progressed, I kind of slipped thru the cracks - they shouldn't have let me labor so long. In the end, I did have an epidural and was so exhausted, the other doctor had to literally get up on the side of my bed and push for me from the outside. not fun. Second baby, I didn't have time for an epidural...I tried to go natural as long as I could, and when i wanted it - it was too late. I also got to reach down and pull the baby the rest of the way out, once the shoulders had come out - amazing experience... i highly recommend it. I survived... and I can say, since your endorphins kick in on their own once you reach the pain threshold... it lasts a lot longer and seemed to carry me thru days without pain.

3rd baby, I opted for the epidural, because it was my husband's first child, and he does not handle seeing me in pain very well... I wanted him to enjoy the birth experience too and I knew he couldn't be the support person I needed him to be for me to do it without pain medication. And since my mother passed away, there was nobody else I would have wanted there to be a support person.

4th baby - emergency c-section 4 weeks early, I had no options on that.

All 4 of my babies had 9's straight across the board on their Apgar - none of them had breathing issues, or exhibited any marked sleepiness or distress... They were all capable of breastfeeding, and had strong sucking reflexes...

If you were my friend, and were asking me this, I would tell you 'go as long as you can and don't beat yourself up if you can't handle it and decide you want to change your mind'.

Good luck!

T.
I have been a nurse 17 yrs and have also had an epidural myself. I think epdurals are risky and only work well if they are placed correctly. Mine didn't take so it wasn't worth the risk and my back has had a catch every since. My daughter just had her baby in January and had an epidural it only numbed her left side due to improper placement. She had to have a c-section in the end. I have had a baby without the epidural and didn't find it so much different. This has been my experience. I hope whatever you chose it works well for you.
K.

I loved my epidural. Im due any day, and im actually looking forward to the delivery because it was such an awesome experience the first time. With the epidural I was relaxed and able to listen to the doctors and was not focused on the pain, just the baby. Admitedly I had a spinal as well, and the spinal hadn't worn off by the time my little guy came out, but I literally laughed him out. There was no screaming, yelling, cursing, grunting etc... it was a very relaxed environment where the doc said push and I did, and in between we traded jokes. Im not kidding. By the time he came out, and the epi wore off, I still had enough energy to enjoy him, and get my hospital room ready for guests the next day. My thought was that with an epicural the risks are actually so so rare, and if there is a way to do this and minimize the pain why not? Don't get me wrong, I respect those who opt out of pain management, but if you are really that nervous, why make the experience scarier?

Good for you for looking into all the options. I labored in water with my first and it really helped, until transition. Then I had 1/2 dose of nubain and I don't remember much of the rest, I wished I could have been more awake after she was born (it was also 12 hours of labor, I was tired).

My second the water didn't help so I asked for an epidural and it did not come in time, so no epidural either time. I do recommend a perenial block if you do no other pain killer.

I recommend a doula if you want to go naturally. No matter what you do, make a birth plan and have it written down so that everyone knows what you want (make sure to plan for emergency c-section too).

Good luck.